THOSE LITTLE DISTRACTIONS
Distractions. Those things that divert our attention from the main thing.
When Jesus called people to follow Him in Luke 9:57–62 their response was, ‘I can’t. I have this to do, or that to do’. These individuals were totally distracted by the lesser things they needed to do in life, and totally missed out on the God opportunity of a lifetime. It was not that their other duties were unimportant, nor were they to be neglected, but these individuals allowed the issues of life to take the place of God’s call on their life. If we are not careful, we can justify things that put urgent demands on us as the reason why we can’t fulfill our destiny.
When we were preparing to go the serve God overseas, it wasn’t the big things that caused us to be distracted so much as the little things that became big things. What do we keep, what do we sell, what do we give away? Who is going to take care of the belongings we want to keep while we are gone, for however long that is? Who is willing to take our cat? Do we keep the car for visits or do we sell the car? How can we get everything done before we leave?
In saying YES to God, we have to be intentional about putting things in place to minimize those distractions, albeit important, while at the same time, putting our trust in God‘s ability to have a solution for each one of those little things that take our eyes off the main event. As a family, we wrote a list of what we needed to attend to, put out the call, and trusted God with the outcome. Many of our friends rallied around us and took care of all those things we had allowed our mind to be consumed with and overly concerned about.
If only those who Jesus called to follow Him had just trusted Him to take care of their other obligations and followed the call on their life, they would have discovered a God who is just as concerned about their duties as they were. I know it is a well-used phrase, but when you are taking care of God’s business, He will take care of yours, and from experience, we know this is true.
Q: What is one distraction you can identify in your life right now that is slowing down the process of you moving towards your God given calling? What are you are willing to do about it?
Q: What is the word of God saying to you?
Luke 9:57-62 (GNT) The Would-Be Followers of Jesus
As they went on their way, a man said to Jesus, ‘I will follow you wherever you go’. 58Jesus said to him, ‘Foxes have holes, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lie down and rest’. 59He said to another man, ‘Follow me’. But that man said,
‘Sir, first let me go back and bury my father’. 60Jesus answered, ‘Let the dead bury their own dead. You go and proclaim the Kingdom of God’. 61Someone else said, ‘I will follow you, sir; but first let me go and say good-bye to my family’. 62 Jesus said to him, ‘Anyone who starts to plow and then keeps looking back is of no use for the Kingdom of God’.
Matthew 6:8 (NIV): Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
Philippians 4:6-7 (GNT): 6Don’t worry about anything, but in all your prayers ask God for what you need, always asking him with a thankful heart. 7And God’s peace, which is far beyond human understanding, will keep your hearts and minds safe in union with Christ Jesus.
Matt 6:33 (GNT): Instead, be concerned above everything else with the Kingdom of God and with what He requires of you, and he will provide you with all these other things.
Trust God in your journey.
Deb
DESTINED FOR PURPOSE 